Urgent Care Centers Open During the Holidays This Year

According to the Urgent Care Association, there are nearly 10,000 urgent care centers throughout the United States. Urgent cares provide extended hours to patients with non-emergency medical conditions when their healthcare provider cannot see them immediately.

Urgent cares also keep emergency room wait times down and offer appointments during the holidays, when other medical offices may be closed. Perhaps more than ever, this year, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, the role that urgent care clinics play is invaluable. Read on for urgent care holiday hours for hundreds of urgent care clinics across the U.S.

What are urgent cares?

Urgent care clinics are medical offices that are a great solution if you don’t have a primary health care provider or your provider’s office is closed. Urgent care visits are typically less expensive than a trip to the ER for a non-critical medical issue. Flu, sore throat, cuts, sprains, and strains are all possible reasons to visit urgent care instead of the emergency room.

For a more complete comparison of urgent care clinics, freestanding emergency rooms, and traditional emergency rooms, check out our guide on the differences between the three.

Where do I find an urgent care near me?

To find an urgent care center near you, contact your health insurance, if you are insured. If you do not have health insurance, ask a friend, neighbor, or family member for a recommendation. You can also use the search tool available from the Urgent Care Association to find an accredited urgent care center near you.

Urgent Care Holiday Hours

Urgent care holiday hours may vary based on location. Many have modified hours over the holidays. So, it’s best to confirm holiday hours with the urgent care center nearest to you. We have included hours for national urgent care chains currently listed*.

Concentra Health

Concentra is a division of Select Medical, a national health care company, with more than 520 medical offices in 44 states. Most of their urgent care clinics are open 24/7, but you’ll need to check with the location nearest you to confirm holiday hours.

MedExpress

MedExpress has 209 clinics in 14 states, in the eastern part of the U.S. Most locations are open from 8 am-8 pm. They will have limited hours on Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas Day. Check with the location nearest you to confirm holiday hours for New Year’s Day.

American Family Care

One of the oldest providers of urgent care services, American Family Care (AFC) was founded in 1982. Today, they have more than 180 clinics in 26 states. AFC urgent care holiday hours are from 8 am to 4 pm on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.

NextCare

NextCare Urgent Care centers operate more than 145 clinics in Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, and Wyoming. They are open 24 hours, 365 days a year, so they should be open if you need urgent care over the holidays. Check with your local NextCare urgent care clinic to confirm availability.

FastMed

FastMed has more than 100 walk-in clinics in Arizona, Texas, and North Carolina. Many of its centers are open during the holidays from 8 am to 4 pm. Check with your local clinic to confirm specific center hours during the holidays.

Patient First

Patient First has 76 neighborhood medical centers in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. Each urgent care center is open from 8 am to 10 pm, every day of the year. They will be open with regular hours during the holidays.

CareSpot/MedPost

CareSpot and MedPost have more than 100 urgent care centers in eight states, primarily in the southern United States, along with Massachusetts, Michigan, and Tennessee.

Holiday hours for most clinics are from 8 am - 5 pm on Christmas Eve, 10 am to 4 pm on Christmas Day, 8 am to 5 pm on New Year’s Eve, and 10 am to 6 pm on New Year’s Day. The North Dallas location will be closed for both Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Be sure to confirm holiday hours at the location nearest to you.

Doctors Care

Doctors Care has more than 50 urgent care locations in South Carolina. All centers will be open from 8 am to 3 pm on Christmas Eve. Select centers will be open on Christmas Day from 10 am to 4 pm. All centers are open from 8 am to 6 pm on New Year’s Eve, and from 9 am - 5 pm on New Year’s Day. Be sure to confirm the hours of the clinic nearest you.

Texas MedClinic

One of the urgent care clinic chains that only serves one state, Texas MedClinic has 19 locations throughout Texas. Most clinics are open from 8 am to 11 pm. Texas MedClinic has 3 locations that are open 24/7. Check with the urgent care nearest you to confirm holiday hours.

CareNow

CareNow has more than 100 urgent care clinics across the country. Although CareNow clinics are closed on Christmas Day, they will be open from 8 am to 5 pm on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Urgent Care During the Holidays

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many urgent care clinics have expanded their services to offer telehealth appointments in lieu of in-person appointments this holiday season.

If you find yourself ill over the holidays, consider calling a local urgent care near you, for guidance as to whether you should go to the clinic, or arrange to meet with a health care provider online.